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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29698821">Lies Upon Your Lips</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/inkbetweenthekeys/pseuds/inkbetweenthekeys'>inkbetweenthekeys</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Drinking, F/F, First Meetings, Happy Ending, Minor Mikasa Ackerman/Eren Yeager, Misunderstandings, Rod Reiss is kind of a war criminal?, Romance, Useless Lesbians</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 03:08:30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,646</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29698821</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/inkbetweenthekeys/pseuds/inkbetweenthekeys</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A few months after settling into university, Historia has found her place among a warm group of friends. However, a secret from her past haunts her, and the appearance of a mysterious girl named Ymir threatens to undo the precarious, perfect life she has created for herself.</p><p>(Completed)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Krista Lenz | Historia Reiss &amp; Ymir, Krista Lenz | Historia Reiss/Ymir</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>67</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Pretty Girls</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hey everyone! I've been missing university as due to covid I'm at home for the moment, so took my feelings out by writing a uni/college AU. I know most college AUs are kind of American based but my only experience is of uni at England so I decided to just stick with that rather than attempt to make it more US based and be way off.</p><p>I'm not exactly sure how to describe this as a warning, but I did want to mention that Historia feels a strong self-loathing for most of the story (this is resolved and unrelated to sexuality btw). So if that might upset you please don't read! Other than that, I'll add any individual content warnings for each chapter in the notes at the start.</p><p>There will be three chapters in all, the next two are almost done so there won't be too long a wait. Enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>I don't need the world to see</em><br/>
<em>That I've been the best I can be, but</em><br/>
<em>I don't think I could stand to be</em><br/>
<em>Where you don't see me</em>
</p><p>***</p><p>The first time Historia noticed the young woman was on her way over to the student cafe. It was late afternoon, and the low autumn sun slipped through the trees in scattered golden streams. People were busy coming and going in the usual bustle across campus, the air full of chatter. A lot of the noise was stemming from her own group of friends, all on their way to get coffee together. Connie led the group with Sasha, who was trying to hurry everyone along so she could eat, the sooner the better. Jean was chatting to Mikasa, who looked unimpressed, and Historia walked between Eren and Armin at the rear. Eren had flung a careless arm across her shoulders and Mikasa kept shooting Historia jealous glares. She tried to wince apologetically, but the dark haired girl just huffed and turned away.</p><p>She was a few months into college now, and felt grateful to have found such a close group of friends in a short amount of time. Despite Mikasa sometimes getting annoyed with Eren’s affection towards her (which Historia knew was unintentional - the poor boy was just clueless), the trio of girls completed by Sasha had been a great comfort to her since arriving here, far from home for the first time in her life. The guys were fun to hang around with too. Jean and Connie could always be counted on to make her laugh, and Armin was the first person she went to whenever she needed advice. She was lucky to have them, she knew that.</p><p>But something constantly nagged at the back of her brain. Much as she loved her friends, she always felt a little guilty around them. They were all honest people, and she wasn’t. They didn’t really know the first thing about her, and that thought troubled her. She suppressed a sigh as they walked along the tree-lined path, and that was when she felt the uncanny tingle of someone’s eyes on her.</p><p>Looking around quickly, she caught sight of a young woman with shaggy brown hair pulled back in a short ponytail, leaning against a tree. She had a leather jacket on, and was fiddling around with some strange device in her palm. Her eyes were following the movement of Historia’s friends - a move not suspicious in itself. They were popular around the small college, and were known to most people. Perhaps this girl was acquainted with one of Historia’s friends.</p><p>But then her eyes settled on Historia, and she gave a knowing smirk. Historia bristled slightly. She was certain she had never seen this girl before, not even at one of those parties around campus where it was easy to meet new people who you would never see again. She kept walking, hoping that this rude girl would drop her gaze, but out of the corner of her eye she could see she was still being watched.</p><p>“Hey, you alright?” said Eren, lifting a hand to ruffle Historia’s hair. She heard Mikasa let out a cough of annoyance, and wished for the millionth time that Eren wasn’t so oblivious to the other girl’s feelings. “You looked like you were completely zoned out.”</p><p>“I’m fine,” she said, plastering a smile back on her face. She shouldn’t let her act slip, she cursed herself internally. She nodded her head back. “Do you know that girl back there?”</p><p>Eren had no subtlety, and immediately whipped his head round, staring straight at the young woman. Historia flushed pink as she looked around again but thankfully the woman had finally dropped her gaze and was fiddling with whatever was in her hands again.</p><p>“Don’t think so,” he shrugged. “How about you, Armin?”</p><p>Armin flashed a quick glance back, less obvious than Eren. “No, I don’t recognise her either. Why?”</p><p>“Oh, nothing, she just looked familiar,” Historia lied. Perhaps she had imagined that smirk, perhaps the girl hadn’t even been looking at her in the first place. But a shiver snaked its way down her spine nonetheless. If anybody found out her secret, well...she’d rather not think about it.</p><p>“What’s the holdup back there?” Sasha shouted, waving her arms around. “I’m starving, hurry up!”</p><p>“Oh hold up a second!” said Historia, pausing to feel around in her pockets. “I just remembered I left my purse in my room!”</p><p>“No worries, we’ll pay for yours this time,” said Connie, already turning back to continue towards the cafe.</p><p>“No, no, that’s really kind of you, but all my cards are in there and I meant to stop by the library later, I’ll need my campus card to get in,” Historia lied. “I’ll run back to get it, you guys go ahead, I’ll meet you there.”</p><p>“You want me to go with you?” Eren asked, and Historia quickly waved her hands in apology.</p><p>“It’ll be quicker by myself,” she said, turning to go before anyone asked more questions. As she walked back in the opposite direction, she chanced a look over her shoulder. To her relief, the group had already hurried off towards the cafe. They wouldn’t see what she was up to. She patted the purse that was safely in her back pocket, and walked towards the dark haired girl leaning by the tree.</p><p>“Back so soon?” the girl drawled as Historia approached. She was still messing around with that weird device. Up close, Historia could see it was a portable radio. Who even owned a radio in this day and age?</p><p>Historia took a minute to draw up her facade, putting that perfect smile back on her face, and said, “Hey! You looked kind of familiar, and it was bugging me not knowing...Have we met before?” It was yet another of her constant lies - she was certain she had never seen this woman before in her life. But if she wanted answers as to why the girl had been watching her, she would have to go about it in a non-suspicious way.</p><p>The girl’s raised eyebrow told Historia that she had failed immediately. “You’ve never seen me before. But you want to know why I was looking at you, right?”</p><p>Historia stood frozen for a second, unsure how to answer.</p><p>The woman tapped a finger against her chin, a smirk on her lips. “Maybe I just like looking at pretty girls.”</p><p>Historia felt her cheeks redden and patted her windswept blonde hair down self consciously. “Stop messing with me. Who are you and what do you want?”</p><p>Finally, the women relented. “I’m Ymir. And I know who you are, Historia <em>Reiss</em>.”</p><p>“How do you know my last name?” Historia asked sharply, completely forgetting her nice girl act. She had enrolled under the surname Lenz, and told nobody her real last name. She had been careful, ever so careful, not to leave any thread connecting herself to the Reiss family name hanging. There was simply no way this woman could have figured out who she was.</p><p>Ymir shrugged. “Don’t look so worried. I won’t tell anyone. I haven’t yet, have I?”</p><p>“How do you know in the first place?” Historia demanded. This was bad. If one person could find out, more could follow. Then her friends would fall away one by one, alienated not only by her connection to the Reiss scandal but also by her lies. They had fallen from her tongue like candy, and now they would undo everything she had worked so hard for.</p><p>As if reading her panic, Ymir patted the shorter girl’s head. “No need to stress. I only know who you are because I interned at your father’s company for a summer, and saw some of his emails to you.”</p><p>The Reiss name had been famous internationally, as one of the biggest corporations in the world. But last year, someone had leaked the secret. Her father had been embezzling money and funneling it towards private military projects aimed at starting conflicts across the sea. The Reiss name came crashing down, and Historia had done all she could to drag herself out of the wreckage. It had been a stroke of fortune that she had never made a public appearance with her father, being an illegitimate child. But all the same, he had provided money for her and her mother, illegal money, and she was well aware of the stain that would spread across her reputation if ever brought to light. No matter that she had been completely unaware of where the money came from.</p><p>“And where are those emails now? I assume you want something in exchange for them?” Historia asked coldly. She was well aware that they were holding this conversation by the side of a public path and anybody could overhear. This needed to be dealt with, and quickly.</p><p>“My, my,” laughed Ymir. “How quickly you change. You seem to be the popular girl here on campus from what I’ve heard, but surely not with an attitude like this.”</p><p>“Look, just tell me what you want,” Historia said, an edge of desperation creeping into her voice. Eren and the others would be wondering where she was.</p><p>Ymir gave her a strange look. “I told you. I just like looking at pretty girls.” She pushed herself off the tree, raised a hand to wave goodbye, and started walking away, whistling to herself.</p><p>Historia watched her leave, dumbfounded, staring slightly at the way Ymir’s hips swayed carelessly from side to side. Then she shook herself out of her daze. She needed a plan. Ymir was teasing her, gauging how much Historia needed those emails before setting a price. If she ran after her now, it would be all the assurance Ymir needed to demand anything she wanted.</p><p>Historia took a few seconds to compose herself. She could tell people were giving her weird glances, just standing here by herself, so she tossed her hair out of her face and began to make her way over to the cafe, bringing her casual smile back up again. She waved at a few people she knew as she passed them, and seeing them react with a normal wave and smile in response, she felt a little calmer.</p><p>She looked around for her friends when she entered the cafe. They had taken up a couple of sofas in a corner, plates and cups spread over a table. Historia fished her purse out of her back pocket, and quickly ordered a latte at the till before heading over to join them. She noticed there was a space free by Eren, but not sure if she could handle Mikasa’s wrath on top of everything that had just happened, she opted to squish in beside Sasha instead.</p><p>“Hey, there you are! Took you long enough!” said Jean, winking.</p><p>“Are you okay? You look a little pale,” said Armin, looking at her with concern.</p><p>“Oh, I’m fine, just tired from running,” Historia waved him off. Another lie. It was just too easy. Even though her drink was too hot, she took several sips to avoid having to join in the conversation as her friends laughed together.</p><p>If she wanted things to stay the same, to be able to join in with this easy laughter again, she would have to find out what Ymir wanted, and fast.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Selfish</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Content warning: Smoking</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Her eyes and words are so icy</em><br/>
<em>Oh but she burns</em><br/>
<em>Like rum on the fire</em><br/>
<em>Hot and fast and angry as she can be</em><br/>
<em>I walk my days on a wire</em>
</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p>A week had passed since Historia had spoken with Ymir, and she had barely been able to get a moment’s rest since. She was certain that, at any second, she would get a text from one of her friends, saying they had just overheard a strange rumour about her. Whenever she was on campus she examined the way people looked at her, wary for any trace of disgust or contempt. So far, there had been nothing. It seemed Ymir was biding her time.</p><p>One sleepless night the paranoia became too much, and she ended up calling her father’s old secretary, Kenny Ackerman. She daren’t risk calling her father directly; even Kenny could put her in danger of being exposed if his phone was monitored, but she desperately needed answers.</p><p>“Oi, oi, who’s this?” he answered after several rings. “Don’t you know what bloody time it is?”</p><p>“Sorry sir, it’s Historia,” she said, holding her breath as she waited for an answer. The phone was silent for a good ten seconds. Then, finally-</p><p>“Ah, Historia! Haven’t heard from you in a while! How are you, pet?”</p><p>She released a sigh of relief, clutching the phone to her ear. “I’m alright thank you, Mr Ackerman. I’m sorry to call so late, I just had a question and wondered if you might be able to help?”</p><p>“Well, now, that depends what is,” Kenny chuckled. “Ask away.”</p><p>“Do you remember one of the summer interns? Her name is Ymir,” Historia told him.</p><p>“You know what year it was? And last name?” Kenny said.</p><p>Historia winced. “Sorry, I have no idea. It was probably recent.” She had tried to stalk Ymir online, but had found nothing. Honestly, what kind of college student didn’t even have an instagram account? It was ridiculous, she huffed to herself.</p><p>“God, kid, you ain’t giving me much to go on here,” Kenny sighed, and she heard the tapping of a keyboard as he started up his laptop. “I’ll have a look at who I’ve got on file, but I can’t promise you anything. What’s so important about this intern anyway?”</p><p>That was a question Historia would rather not answer. She hadn’t been in contact with her father since the scandal, despite his efforts to stay in touch, and he didn’t know she was in college. To the best of her knowledge, Kenny was still loyal to him and if he found out Historia had bumped into one of their old interns on campus she was sure it wouldn’t take long for that information to be relayed to her father.</p><p>“Oh, here’s something,” said Kenny, luckily forgetting his question. “Last year, just before...well, everything. There was a girl called Ymir working on the top floor for a few weeks, helping with correspondence. Think that’s her?”</p><p>“Yeah, definitely,” said Historia hurriedly. “Do you have anything on her?”</p><p>“Nope,” said Kenny, to her disappointment. “I wasn’t in the office at the time, never met her. We have an old address, but no other information. We had to hastily delete a lot of files last year before the investigation, there was probably more on her in one of them. What was this for again, pet?”</p><p>“Sorry, Mr Ackerman, I really have to go,” she said hurriedly, about to hang up.</p><p>“Historia, why don’t you give your dad a call sometime?” Kenny said. “He really misses you-”</p><p>She pressed her finger down on the red button, cutting him off, and tossed her phone on the bed. Why should she bother to call her father? It wasn’t like they were on great terms before the scandal anyway. She had seen him in person maybe four times in her whole life. They emailed occasionally, he sent her money, that was the extent of their relationship.</p><p>The whole phone call had been a waste of time. All she had gained was confirmation that Ymir had been an intern, and working in correspondence no less - that definitely included checking emails. So she hadn’t been lying.</p><p>Sighing, Historia tugged on a jacket and headed to the door. She needed some fresh air, to clear her head.</p><p>She didn’t see anyone else as she headed out of the dorms, apart from a couple of stoners passed out in one of the hallways. As she pushed open the main door and stepped outside, she took a deep breath, inhaling the brisk, cold air. It was refreshing, and she tilted her head up, eyes adjusting to the dark of night as she stared up at the sky. The moon was out, casting a white glow over the ground. Her flat was one of several this side of campus, and she could hear distant sounds of a party from one of the blocks ahead. She walked forward a little, and sat down on the grass, ignoring the fact that it would stain her skirt. She would sit out here for a few minutes, collect her thoughts, then head inside before anyone from the party staggered out and saw her.</p><p>“Fancy seeing you here,” said a vaguely familiar voice. Historia’s head whipped around, and she saw Ymir, leant casually by one of the walls, cigarette between her lips and that weird radio in her hands again.</p><p>“Are you stalking me?” Historia demanded, getting to her feet and clenching her fists in anger.</p><p>Ymir looked at her sceptically, removing the cigarette from between her lips and stomping out with the heel of her boot. “Chill out, love. I live in that dorm,” she pointed to the opposite building, “And came out for a smoke. Then suddenly you turn up. Can’t say I’m unhappy about this turn of events though.”</p><p>Historia ignored the thrill that ran through her at the nickname ‘love’. She just glared at Ymir with distrust in her eyes.</p><p>Ymir sighed, and came over to the patch of grass where Historia had been sitting. She plopped herself down, and tugged at Historia’s skirt to get her to follow. Historia snatched her skirt away, but reluctantly obeyed.</p><p>Ymir didn’t say anything at first, playing around with her radio, fiddling with the dials. Crackly music played out, and Historia listened for a second. “Why do you carry that old thing around?” she asked.</p><p>“I don’t have a phone to play music,” Ymir shrugged.</p><p>Historia stared at her. “You don’t have a phone?”</p><p>“Nope,” Ymir said, refusing to elaborate.</p><p>Historia sat in silence for a few minutes, trying to figure this girl out. She sneaked a few glances at Ymir who was still occupied with the radio. Her dark hair was tied back in a rough ponytail again, a few strands falling into her face. She had gorgeous dark eyelashes, that made Historia jealous - her own were so light that she had to apply mascara everyday if she wanted them to be visible - and a decisive set to her jaw. Her lips were a rosy pink, and Historia’s gaze lingered on them maybe a little too long before she remembered the situation she was in. This girl knew her closest secret, and would tell everyone unless Historia could persuade her otherwise.</p><p>“How much do you want?” she said shortly.</p><p>Ymir switched off the radio and looked at her blankly. “How much do I want?”</p><p>“For the emails,” Historia hissed, glancing around again to check they were still alone. “Between me and my father.”</p><p>“Oh, yeah,” said Ymir. “Well, how much are you willing to give me?” She raised an eyebrow mischievously.</p><p>Historia really didn’t want to haggle on this. She knew how much was in her bank account, and it was a lot, but honestly she had never felt comfortable having that money from a man she barely knew, especially after she found out he had obtained it illegally. Perhaps offering it all up would be a fresh start. She had been intending to get a job on campus anyway. She didn’t need her father’s money to get by. Offering a large sum was the surest way to get this resolved quickly.</p><p>“I’ll give you a million if you give me the emails and show me you don’t have any extra copies,” she said, boldly.</p><p>Ymir stared at her, eyes wide. “A million? Fucking hell, I wish I did have those emails. A million would certainly be nice.”</p><p>“What do you mean?” said Historia, fear seizing her. Had she already sent out the emails? Was everyone around college at this very moment reading of her lies and deception?</p><p>“I never said I saved those emails anywhere,” said Ymir. “I just told you I read them. I’m not a crazy person, I don’t randomly copy emails from someone I’ve never met before. You just jumped to that conclusion all by yourself.”</p><p>Historia’s heart was racing. “So you don’t have anything? On me or my father?”</p><p>Ymir shook her head. “I just worked there for a couple of weeks, and then I quit because I was bored. The only reason I remembered your emails was because they were a nice change from the dry spreadsheets I spent most of the day having to forward. You sent a cute picture of your high school graduation in one, that’s how I knew who you were. Then I heard all the rumours about pretty, popular Historia Lenz and realised you changed your identity.”</p><p>“Well, what would you do in my situation?” said Historia hotly, half relieved and half annoyed. “I don’t want people to look at me and think I’m a selfish piece of shit like my father.”</p><p>“Aren’t you? Genuine question,” said Ymir. Seeing Historia’s temper flare up again, she raised a hand to mellow her. “I’m not saying it’s bad to be selfish. But using your father’s money, not telling your friends the truth...it seems a little selfish to me.”</p><p>“Yeah, I suppose,” said Historia uncomfortably. “But that’s why I offered you all that money...I don’t want it.”</p><p>Ymir shrugged. “Just because your dad got it in a bad way, doesn’t mean it’s inherently bad money. Put it to good use, I guess.”</p><p>Historia pulled her legs up, resting her chin on her knees. “I don’t want to lose my friends. They won’t want anything to do with me when they find out who my father is. Especially with all the lies I’ve told.”</p><p>“So what?” asked Ymir, reaching over to flick Historia on the nose. “If they’re real friends, they won’t care. Stop feeling sorry for yourself.”</p><p>Historia laughed a little. There was something she liked about Ymir, that bluntness, that refusal to tell anything but the truth. It was so different from her own habit of lies. “You promise you won’t tell anyone though?”</p><p>Ymir rolled her eyes. “Yeah, of course I won’t. I was never going to. What you do with your life is your business.”</p><p>“So why did you approach me then?” she asked, a hint of suspicion still lingering.</p><p>“I didn’t approach you, you came over to me, remember?” said Ymir, giving Historia a gentle shove. “And I’m not one for keeping secrets, so I told you that I knew you who were. That’s it.” She stood up, dusting off the back of jeans, and picked up her radio. “See you around, then.”</p><p>Historia watched in silence as Ymir headed off to her dorm. By the time she managed to get her mess of thoughts in coherent order, it was too late and the other girl had already disappeared from view.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Ruin Me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Content warning: frequent consumption of alcohol throughout the chapter</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>When I see you, the whole world reduces to just that room</em><br/>
<em>And then I remember and I'm shy, that gossip's eye will look too soon</em><br/>
<em>And then I'm trapped, overthinking and yeah, probably self-doubt</em><br/>
<em>You tell me to get over it and to take you out</em>
</p><p>***</p><p>Ymir’s casual suggestion that Historia reveal the truth to her friends lingered in her thoughts for the next few days. She had made it sound so simple, so easy, but knowing someone you called a friend had lied to you for over three months was bound to leave a bitter taste in anyone’s mouth. Images crowded her mind of straight-talking Eren looking at her in disgust, Armin’s eyes filling with tears, Sasha shaking her head in repulsion. These people had spilled out their secrets to her, and she hadn’t even told them her real last name.</p><p>But still, she knew Ymir was right. The least she could do to make up for her lies was to finally come clean. If her friends deserted her, then that would be no less than she deserved.</p><p>She decided to wait until the end of the week. It was Friday night, and they were gathered round Jean’s house to pregame before heading to a party. Although the rest of them lived in university halls, Jean lived near enough to the university that he commuted every day instead of paying out for a room on campus. Luckily, this gave them a place where they could be as rowdy as they pleased without having to worry about security coming to tell them off.</p><p>Historia restlessly watched her friends having fun together as she waited for the right moment. Connie was mixing drinks with reckless abandon, and Sasha had smudged her lipstick by shovelling crisps into her mouth, trying to line her stomach before going all in on the drinks. Jean, Eren, and Armin were playing a card game in the corner, whoever lost each round taking a shot. It looked as if Eren was losing, and Mikasa hovered by him anxiously. She looked stunning tonight, in dark lipstick and a simple black dress that clung to her figure. Historia had no idea how Eren could be so oblivious to such a woman. Jean certainly wasn’t; he was struggling to keep his eyes on Mikasa’s face whenever he talked to her.</p><p>Deciding if she was going to speak up, it had better be now before someone passed out, Historia poured herself a shot and knocked it back for liquid courage. “Hey everyone, could I talk to you for a moment?”</p><p>Six pairs of eyes turned to her, and she had to hide a nervous gulp.</p><p>“There’s something I need to tell you,” she said, somehow managing to keep her voice steady despite the racing beat of her heart. “I haven’t...I can’t…” The words choked in her mouth, and she had to grip the edge of the kitchen counter beside her to ground herself.</p><p>“Hey, it’s okay,” said Armin in a soothing voice, leaping up and going to her side, wrapping an arm around her and squeezing. “It’s just us, you can tell us anything.” Sasha nodded, eyes wide.</p><p>Historia gave him a thankful smile and took a moment to collect herself before continuing. “I haven’t...been completely truthful with you guys,” she admitted. Armin gave her a reassuring squeeze. “My last name isn’t Lenz. It’s Reiss.”</p><p>Jean looked at her doubtfully. “Okay? Why would you lie about your last name?” But she felt Armin’s grip on her tighten slightly, and she knew he had already figured it out. Mikasa, too, was frowning.</p><p>“Have you heard of Reiss Corporation?” she asked. “The scandal last year?”</p><p>“Oh yeah,” said Connie, stealing some of Sasha’s snacks and munching away at them. “The CEO was funneling money out to some private military group to instigate a war, right? Some pretty dodgy stuff.”</p><p>“Yeah, well, that CEO, Rod Reiss, is my father,” she said. There, the truth at last. Three months of lies, leading to this moment, this betrayal. She stared down at the tiled floor, unwilling to look up and see the resentment in her friend’s faces. Who would want to be friends with the daughter of someone who tried to start a war, willing to kill innocents if it meant he would profit in the long run?</p><p>“I never heard anything about Rod Reiss having a daughter,” said a voice she recognised as Eren.</p><p>“Not officially,” she murmured. “He had an affair with my mother. It’s not public knowledge.” Not yet, anyway. Any one of the six people here with her tonight could now go public with the truth, and any chance of a future would be torn away from her.</p><p>“Why didn’t you tell us?”</p><p>Finally, she looked up. Sasha was staring at her.</p><p>“Because I wanted a fresh start,” Historia told them. “Nobody would want anything to do with me if they knew. And then I met you guys, and I just didn’t want to lose you,” she said, lifting her hands to cover her face and hide the tears threatening to spill over. All wrong. She had gone about this all wrong from the start. If only she had been honest, if only she hadn’t let her guard down and grown close to these people, hadn’t cared so much…</p><p>Someone tugged gently at her hands, and she reluctantly let them be pulled away from her face. Mikasa stood before her, eyes unreadable. She kept her grip on Historia’s hands for a second, before letting go, and Historia’s heart sunk. But then, Mikasa leant forward and pulled her into a tight embrace.</p><p>Historia released a gasp as she was squeezed tight by Mikasa’s formidable strength, the other girl’s hair tickling her face. Warmth encircled her as Armin joined in the hug from behind. They stayed there for a second, and Historia just couldn’t help it, she started crying. Ugly, wrenching sobs. She had never been held like this before. Her father had barely been in her life, her mother regretted the fling that had gotten her pregnant and every reminder of it, including her daughter. Historia had no idea what unconditional love was, but in that moment, she felt the warmth of it settle around her.</p><p>When Mikasa and Armin pulled back, she found her other friends had crowded around her.</p><p>“Hey silly, why are you crying?” said Eren, reaching over to wipe her tears away, instantly earning them both a glare from Mikasa.</p><p>Jean shook his head in mock despair. “You thought we wouldn’t like you anymore because your father’s a prick? It’ll take more than that to scare us away, you know.”</p><p>“But...aren’t you upset I didn’t tell you the truth?” Historia asked, sniffling.</p><p>Armin gave her another hug. “You’re telling us now, right? That’s enough for me.”</p><p>“And for me!” said Sasha, elbowing the boys out of the way. “Come on, we need to fix your makeup if we’re still going to this party tonight!”</p><p>“Do you still want to go?” Mikasa asked softly.</p><p>Historia looked around at the six smiling people in front of her. They knew her secret and they...didn’t care. They didn’t care. They still wanted to be her friend. For the first time in three months - no, longer than that - for the first time in her whole life, Historia felt a weight she hadn’t even realised she’d been carrying lift from her shoulders. She was accepted. She was loved.</p><p>“I still want to go. Let’s party!” she said, bringing up a smile, this one true and shining. Her friends cheered, and Sasha and Mikasa accompanied her to the bathroom to try and fix the mess that was her makeup after all that crying.</p><p>“I was pretty stupid, huh,” she sighed, sitting obediently on the closed toilet seat as Sasha wiped the marks off her face.</p><p>“Even stupider than Connie,” Sasha told her, lips pursed in concentration. “You know we’ll love you no matter what.”</p><p>“I love you guys too,” Historia told them. Truth. It felt so good to tell the truth. Mikasa didn’t say anything, but offered her a silent smile as she leaned in to brush the mascara wand over Historia’s lashes.</p><p>After the pair of girls declared her ready, Historia stood and examined herself in the mirror. They had successfully cleaned her up, her pale face framed by silky waves of blonde hair. Under a soft peach eyeshadow her blue eyes sparkled, complimented by a rosy shade on her lips. She had decided to go for a more casual outfit tonight, just a checkered skirt and a black jumper tight enough to suggest at her curves. She looked effortless, mature, and she tugged the two other girls into view of the mirror too. “Look at us,” she grinned. “We’re going to be the talk of the party.”</p><p>The other two girls touched up their own makeup, before they all walked back into the kitchen. The boys had been busy drinking, and perhaps his lower defenses were what made Eren gawp slightly as Mikasa strode past him. Historia smiled secretly to herself. Perhaps a little alcohol was the ingredient she needed to finally push those two together.</p><p>They all bundled out of the house together, Historia having to remind Jean to lock the door behind them. They got on one of the late buses, and soon they had arrived at campus. Connie led them in the direction of the party.</p><p>Booming music rolled over Historia as they entered the flat, the bass reverberating into her bones. Someone had set up LED lights, so each room was washed in a different dark colour - red, blue purple. Sasha gripped her hand and tugged her through the throng of hot, dancing bodies to the kitchen. Familiar faces smiled as she walked past.</p><p>“Heya, Hitch!” Sasha said, greeting one of the girls who lived in the flat, having to raise her voice slightly to make herself heard. “There’s so many people here already!”</p><p>“Yeah, word got around!” Hitch said, pushing red plastic cups into their hands. Historia took a sip, wincing at the bitter taste. She didn’t know what it was, but thanks to drinking at Jean’s house she was already a little buzzed, so left it on a nearby table.</p><p>Still holding hands, Sasha and Historia stumbled into another room, bathed in dark blue, to find the rest of their friends. Sasha collapsed down on the floor next to Connie, and Historia joined Armin and Jean on the couch. Mikasa and Eren were sitting on the floor too, close together but not quite touching.</p><p>“Hey, do me a favour,” Historia whispered to Armin. He looked at her, eyes inquisitive. “Help me get Eren and Mikasa alone together tonight.”</p><p>“You think it will happen?” he said, eyes darting over to the pair of them.</p><p>Historia nodded decisively. “If we give them a push.”</p><p>It wasn’t long before Marlowe stumbled past, a regular guest at any of Hitch’s parties, and challenged Connie and Sasha to a drinking contest. Jean followed them through to another room to watch, and it looked as if Eren was about to follow.</p><p>“Hey, Eren, can I talk to you for a second?” Armin said quickly, reaching out to tug him back.</p><p>“Sure, what is it?” the other boy replied, dark hair flopping in his face as he sat back down again.</p><p>Historia gave Armin a subtle wink as he distracted Eren, and she snuck out to find whoever was playing the music. She passed Hitch in her search, who directed her to the speakers in her bedroom halfway down the hall. Historia let herself in and scrolled through Hitch’s phone which she had left on her bed, finding a playlist that wasn’t so ridiculously full of bass, something slightly slower and with vocals instead of just a beat.</p><p>She opened the door and stepped back into the corridor, happy to see people still dancing and not annoyed at the change of pace in music. Armin came running over, and she was glad to see he was unaccompanied.</p><p>“Did it work?” she asked eagerly.</p><p>“I’m not sure, they were chatting together when I made an excuse to leave,” said Armin. Together, they snuck back over to the door of the room they had been hanging out in. It was mostly empty now, and Historia spied Eren and Mikasa in the corner. Mikasa had rested her head on Eren’s shoulder, and he was slowly running a hand through her black locks of hair. The surprised look of tenderness that had crept onto his face reassured Historia. Perhaps nothing would happen between them tonight. But, seeing that look, she was certain that something had finally clicked for Eren, something that opened up a new door for him and Mikasa in the future.</p><p>Historia’s thoughts were interrupted as Connie barrelled past her, Sasha riding on his shoulders. Jean was running after them, ready to catch Sasha if she fell. Everyone cheered as they made it the full length of the hallway, all three collapsing in a pile at the end. Knowing her friends, this was probably some part of silly dare. Historia laughed along with everyone else as Armin, sweet as ever, ran over to help them back up.</p><p>She took a deep breath, leaning against the frame of the doorway. Here, surrounded by people having fun and seeing her closest friends fool about, she felt home. What more did she honestly need in life, than friends like this? But her thoughts skirted back to Eren and Mikasa momentarily. The way they had looked at each other...maybe that was the only thing she still wanted, someone to look at her in that way. Oh well. Hadn’t Ymir said it was okay to be a little selfish, a little greedy sometimes?</p><p>As soon as her thoughts lighted on Ymir, she felt the weight of someone watching her, and glanced around. There - someone further down the hall, disappearing into one of open footed rooms.</p><p>Historia followed them curiously, leaving her friends behind. The room they had entered was crowded, people dancing and laughing and drinking. The lights in here were a deep, sultry pink, and Historia scanned the crowd, hardly daring to hope. But then her eyes met a pair of warm brown ones, staring right back at her, and her heart missed a beat.</p><p>Ymir was watching her from the other side of the room, standing casually by the wall. Whenever Historia saw her, she was always leaning against something, a wall, a tree. Perhaps she thought it made her look cool. Well, in the same leather jacket she had been wearing when they first met and her disinterested attitude in her surroundings, she radiated her own individual sense of glamour. For once, her hair wasn’t tied back, loose around her face, shining under the pink lights. People passed in front of Historia, blocking her view momentarily, and when they moved out of the way again Ymir offered her a smirk, as if she knew every single thought that had passed through Historia’s head.</p><p>Making her way across the room, Historia did her best to rein in her nerves. She didn’t know why her heart was pounding in such a way. Her past two encounters with Ymir had been embarrassing, too revealing of what kind of person she really was deep down. Why was she excited to see someone who must think her an idiot, a spoilt, selfish brat used to getting her way? Maybe it was the alcohol muddling her brain, although she had thought the effects were starting to wear off.</p><p>“I didn’t expect to see you here,” she said, as she finally came face to face with Ymir. The other woman stood more than a head taller than her, this close up, making Historia feel small. She tried her best to squash her feelings of intimidation.</p><p>Ymir raised an eyebrow. “I’ve been at the same parties as you before. You just never noticed me.”</p><p>Historia blushed. “Well, you know I’ve been pretty self-involved these past months.”</p><p>Ymir looked at her for a minute. “You told your friends, didn’t you?”</p><p>There was no need to ask what she was talking about. “Yeah. How did you know?”</p><p>“I saw you with them out in the hall,” Ymir said. “You looked way happier than I’ve ever seen you before.”</p><p>Historia smiled. “Yeah. I am. You were right, saying I should tell them.”</p><p>Ymir smirked. “Of course I was, idiot.”</p><p>Historia found she didn’t mind Ymir’s teasing, and decided to retaliate with some teasing of her own. “No playing tinny music through that crap radio tonight?”</p><p>“As if I could hear it over this,” Ymir rolled her eyes, gesturing vaguely around to indicate the music and the laughter.</p><p>“I still don’t get why you carry it around everywhere,” Historia laughed.</p><p>Ymir looked away, her skin flushed under the pink lights. “I heard a song on it one day, that made me think of someone. I didn’t catch the title, and I’ve been listening in hope they’ll play it again.”</p><p>Something about the way Ymir’s demeanour changed, the way she let her hair hang fall in front of her face a little as if she were embarrassed, caught Historia’s attention. She thought back to their first meeting, what Ymir had said about pretty girls. At the time Historia had thought it was a sick joke, a way to get under her skin, but now she wasn’t so sure. “You said I never noticed you before...did you notice me?”</p><p>“What would you say if I did?” Ymir asked, glancing sidelong at Historia. Ah, this was a game she was familiar with, at least. The careful questions, trying to guess what the other person was thinking. The room around them seemed to shrink and fade away, as Historia forgot the clusters of people around them. All she could focus on was Ymir, the tentative curiosity in her eyes, the quirk to her lips.</p><p>“I’d say...I wished I had noticed you sooner,” Historia replied, trying to hide her own blush this time. “And I wished I hadn’t thought you were some scary blackmailer trying to ruin my life.”</p><p>Ymir leant forward, brushing Historia’s hair out of the way to whisper into her ear. “Be careful. I still may ruin you yet.” The tickle of cool breath on her neck sent a tingle down Historia’s spine. The implication in those words...she knew exactly in what way Ymir was hinting that she wanted to ruin her. Her pulse hammered violently away.</p><p>A new song started playing, dreamy and seductive. Ymir pulled away suddenly, and Historia’s heart dropped for a second at the loss of contact. But Ymir’s eyes were shining brightly. “This is it!” she laughed. “The song! It was playing the first time I saw you.”</p><p>Historia gazed up at her. Usually Ymir was so guarded - this was the first time she had seen her look so vulnerable, her cool exterior falling away. “Tell me about it,” she said, grabbing Ymir’s hands and pulling her away from the sidelines and into the centre of the room, among everyone dancing.</p><p>They were pushed close by the throng of bodies, and Ymir took Historia’s arms and pulled them up around her neck, then resting her own around Historia’s waist. They surely looked odd, wrapped up in a slow dance amongst the rest of the partiers, but Historia couldn’t have cared less.</p><p>“I was on campus, just sitting by and people-watching, when you and your friends walked past,” Ymir told her. Historia tried to focus on her words instead of the press of the bodies tight against each other. “The sun was glowing and all I saw was this shiny mass of blonde hair. One of your friends, that tall guy, cracked a joke, and you tossed it over your shoulder when you laughed, so I could see your face.” She stared down at Historia as she spoke, taking in that same face now so close to hers. “At first I was taken aback, seeing who you were. And then...I don’t know. I was just intrigued by you. This girl who was living her own life, rejecting her past.”</p><p>Historia had a billion questions about Ymir’s own life. She could tell from the way she spoke that there was a part of her that shared Historia’s desire to make her own destiny, despite whatever had happened to her in the past. But there was all the time in the world to get to know the woman in front of her, the woman who had made her take a good look at herself and decide to live honestly and freely. Right now, she would just live in the moment, commit to memory the image of Ymir’s beautiful face looking down at her with that tenderness in her eyes, their hands wrapped around each other, swaying to the music.</p><p>“I believe you made me a promise,” she said, and Ymir frowned, confused. “A promise to ruin me.”</p><p>That brought a smile to Ymir’s lips. “If my lady commands,” she mocked.</p><p>A second later, their lips clashed together, wild and wet as they tasted each other. Historia opened her mouth with a gasp as Ymir’s tongue slid in to claim her. She hung onto Ymir’s neck for dear life as they explored each other, a slight bitterness to the kiss from the alcohol they had both consumed that evening. Mindful that they weren’t alone, Historia tried to stifle the moan that slipped from her lips. Ymir lightly nipped her lower lip, teasing Historia’s shyness. They broke apart for air, and a loud cheer came from across the room.</p><p>Historia whipped her head around, to see her friends watching. It was Connie who had cheered, but they all looked delighted. Mikasa looked especially gratified, probably because she finally had reassurance that Historia didn’t like Eren. Sasha and Jean were clapping, and Historia blushed.</p><p>Ymir didn’t seem the type to get embarrassed and lifted a hand from Historia’s waist to cup her cheek, pulling her back towards her demandingly. Their lips met again - slower, gentler, this time. It was a kiss that promised many more to come.</p><p>“I’m going to be selfish, just a little more,” Historia said, as they broke apart again, panting softly. “I’m going to ignore my friends, and kiss you again.”</p><p>“Now that’s something I can support,” Ymir said, and Historia could feel her lips against her own, tilting into a smile. “Be selfish, then. Be the worst girl in the world. I’ve seen all the mess that comes with it, and I don’t care.”</p><p>The song Ymir had listened so patiently for faded into another. A new beginning.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you for reading! I'm curious to hear what people think. I intended for this to just be a one off but there are thing left slightly open I might want to explore further and make part of a series. I could do a continuation of this relationship from Ymir's POV, which would give me the chance to follow up on the tiny clues to her backstory that I left scattered in this story. Or I could follow up the Mikasa/Eren subplot, or even the tiny crumb of Hitch/Marlow I snuck in this chapter! Anyway if you'd be interested in any of those please do let me know :)</p><p>My <a href="https://inkbetweenthekeys.tumblr.com/">tumblr</a> is here if you want to check out more writing stuff!</p>
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